Obama reaffirms friendship with U.A.E.

4/16/13 3:45 PM EDT

President Obama met with United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Oval Office on Tuesday and the two leaders discussed Syria, Iran and trade, among other topics.

According to the White House, they "reaffirmed their commitment to the strong partnership and friendship between their two countries." Al Nahyan also expressed his condolences for the victims of the Boston bombings.

Among the topics of discussion: a "shared commitment to close defense and security cooperation, including joint training exercises, [and] counterterrorism cooperation," as well as the growing relations between U.S. institutions and the and the U.A.E. in the fields of education, health care and the arts;

"The president and the crown prince also discussed a range of regional challenges, including the need for Iran to meet its international obligations with respect to its nuclear program, the ongoing conflict in Syria, and countering the threat of violent extremism," the White House said.

What was not mentioned in the readout was human rights. At least one advocacy group, Human Rights Watch, had called for the president to press Al Nahyan on what it called the U.A.E.'s "basic disregard for human rights," citing detention of activists and protestors and allegations of torture.

Biden also met with the crown prince Tuesday and "underscored the strength of our friendship with the U.A.E.," the White House said.